"Are you sure about this?"

"Yeah, I'm sure." Liv responded as she tapped the screen, sending the call to voicemail. Olivia Pope had been sure about many things in her life. She had never made a move that she was unsure of. Until now.

As Liv sat staring out of the window of her private plane, she had a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. Could she just walk away? Could she leave him alone and still find a way to live life with a man she did not love? For the past four and a half years, her heart belonged to one Fitzgerald Thomas Grant III. It will always belong to...

Fitz...

Instantly Liv was slammed with the vision of Fitz carrying his lifeless son in his arms after his collapse during the rally in Springfield. She couldn't imagine going through something as horrifying as losing a child, but Liv knew that at some point Fitz lost the ability to breathe. How did she know? She lost the ability to breathe as well. Liv felt the exact moment Fitz's heart broke because her heart broke in that same moment.

Liv's mind flashed back to her conversation with Fitz the day before.

I love you

I love you too

Liv had always been in love with Fitz. Was it easy to say it? No. Liv was never one to just throw out the "L" word, but she had meant it long before she uttered them standing before the constitution. One could say she meant them from the first time she looked into Fitz's eyes four and a half years ago.

Liv looked to her left and saw Jake sitting beside her.

Jake...

There was nothing wrong with Jake per se. He was an attractive man, he had a great job, he even claimed he wanted to do his best to make her happy. But Liv couldn't help but think there was more to it. Could there be something between them? Was Jake in this for love? Did he love her? One date and a few "romps in the hay" could never truly be classified as love, could it? Was he using her? What did Jake get out of running away with a woman who was in love with another man. Was this some ploy to one up Fitz?

Liv could see the competitiveness between the men, especially when it came to her. There was no denying Jake at least suspected their relationship when Fitz hired him to watch her. So why had he made that move? Jake knew her heart belonged to Fitz and Fitz knew as well.

Jake did it because he was B6-13, and her father ordered him to. Was this some ploy to get even with her father? You took my life so I take your child sort of thing? Why did Jake want a woman who's heart he would never fully have? Was it because of...

Her father...

Liv thought back to the moment her father re-entered her life. The day her name was leaked to the media. Liv normally watched the news every morning, but that morning she was feeling good about the place she was in and decided to go for a run first. Fortunately her father had been there to save her from the sea of news hungry reporters. If only he hadn't tried to get her on the plane...

Maybe Liv should have taken her father up on his offer back then. Maybe things wouldn't have gotten so out of control. Maybe Jerry would still be alive. Maybe her father was right. If Liv left the first time, her mother wouldn't have gotten to Jerry. Her father would handle her mother... Right?

Her father- command.

Her father is the man who runs...ran the nation's top secret government spy organization ... The man who held Jake in the hole, and mysteriously let him go with no explanation or expectation...

You will get on this plane come hell or high water and to be clear, I AM THE HELL, AND, THE HIGH WATER...

Liv felt her heart stop as everything began to come full circle. Was Jake's release from the hole conditional? Was he still on a mission to break her and Fitz up?

Run away with me Liv. Save me...

Save me...

Did Jake beg for Liv to run away with him, save him because he was failing at this mission. It would be the second time he failed at this mission and according to Huck, no one fails command twice. Liv's mind drifted to her mother, the spy.

My father runs the nations top secret government spy organization. Her mother was a spy.

Her mother...

Did Maya really escape? Or did Rowan release her to bring fury onto the ones she loved for the sole purpose of getting her on that plane? How did her mother escape? No one escapes B6-13... How did it get to the point where her deceased mother was able to take out Jerry.

Jerry...

Poor innocent Fitzgerald Thomas Grant IV. Was Jerry part of her father's sick plan as well? Was Jerry a target because Fitz didn't show up to the funeral? The funeral where a bomb was set to wipe out half of the Cabinet as well as Fitz, Sally, and Andrew? Had Jake not stepped in, the entire head of the executive branch would have been wiped out. Three birds, one bomb. What happened to Maya?

Was Maya brought to justice? Did her father apprehend her mother? Or were they working together? Did Fitz reinstate B6-13 once he realized how valuable the branch truly was? But Jake was on the plane. Command will always be command so there is no way Fitz could have done that unless...

Her father?

Is Rowan once again command? Once command, always command. Was this all the plan to begin with? A plan to drive her and Fitz apart? Why didn't she get on that plane months ago? Because of Fitz, that's why.

Fitz...

Fitz...

He was devastated, she knew. Even though he had just clinched the reelection, the price he paid was an ominous one. He lost a child. Not only did he lose a child, he lost that child at the hands of her mother. Yet he still loved and wanted her. But how did she get close enough? Was there someone on the inside? There has to be for someone to make it past secret service to get to the first son. But who? Who got to Jerry?

In hindsight, was four more years really worth it? Liv knew Fitz was destroyed. They had gotten to the point in their relationship where their moods were in sync even when they weren't together. Fitz needed her more than anything... But Mellie...

There was no way that Fitz could leave Mellie now. Not after he found out his father raped her. Not after he found out that the rape and the rape alone was the reason behind her change in demeanor 15 years ago... But Liv knew that right now of all moments Fitz needed her, and Liv had to admit to herself that she needed him too.

What the hell are you doing Liv? How do you tell a man you love him, then leave him on the darkest day of his life?

Liv felt the plane begin to ascend, and suddenly realized she couldn't do this. She could NOT leave.

"STOP THE PLANE!" Liv yelled as she jumped out of her seat.

"Liv, what's wrong?" Jake asked, suddenly feeling a sense of fear wash over him. Did she know? How? There was no way anyone could have told her.

"Jake..." Liv said as she shook her head. This wasn't right, it isn't right. There is no way to truly stand in the sun unless it is with the one you love.

The sun...

Liv realized in that moment that the sun she was looking for couldn't be produced by anyone or anything other than... Fitz.

Fitz was her sun. He was her light. He was the reason she wanted to wake up every morning, and the only reason she smiled as she fell asleep at night. Fitz was her sun. There was no standing in the sun unless she was standing with Fitz.

"Liv?" Jake asked once more as he watched the plane turn and descend once again.

"I can't leave him, I can't leave them. Jake, I'm sorry. I'm not in love with you, and to pretend that I am something that I am not... It isn't fair to either of us." Liv said as she headed towards the now opening plane door. With each step Liv took towards exiting the plane, she felt lighter. She felt purpose returning to her life. She knew what she wanted and she knew what she had to do.

"He will kill me Liv... Your father will kill me if you don't go. Please... Save me Liv." Jake said one final time, his eyes begging to be rescued. Not because he was in love with her, but because he had once again failed at his mission.

"Jake, take the plane wherever you need to go, but listen to me when I say, I cannot and I will not leave him. I'm sorry."

"Where's Liv?" Fitz cried as he lowered his head further into his hands. Mellie sat beside him, looking at the shell of a man she once knew. Fitz knew the truth about her past, and granted the paternity test revealed that Fitz was in fact Jerry's father...

Jerry...

For fifteen years Mellie distanced herself from her son. Not because she didn't want to love him, but because for fifteen years, she believed he was the product of a rape. Now she knows the truth, and it's too late. Her family is ruined. Mellie knows Fitz is only being kind because of the revelation. Of course he feels bad, maybe he feels responsible, maybe even ashamed he couldn't protect her better against his own father. Fitz not only blamed himself for the events that happened around the time he and Mellie conceived Jerry; He also blamed himself for not protecting his son better which resulted in his untimely departure from their lives. But that didn't change the fact that he was in love with another woman. Fitz's words a few short moments ago proved that.

Fitz just won the election, he would be president for yet another term, but there would always be a heavy cloud lingering over this day. The day following the death of their son. The price of a free and fair election was their son...

Was it worth it? Was it worth losing their son?

For the first time in fifteen years, Mellie was able to think those words without guilt... Their son. The loss of their son may have won Fitz the election, but it definitely did not give Mellie back her husband. He belonged to her.

Where's Liv?

Those words blared through Mellie's head harder and louder than anything she had ever heard before. Of course Fitz wouldn't magically fall head over heels in love with her simply because he found out. Nothing would make him fall out of love with Liv. He may have belonged to Mellie on paper, but his heart, his soul, his being belonged to Liv. Mellie couldn't say she blamed him, Liv was after all a hell of a woman. Smart, gorgeous, supportive of Fitz in any decision he made.

Olivia Pope was quite a girl... Quite a woman, Fitz's woman. Sensing she wouldn't be able to comfort him the way he needed, Mellie picked up the phone. He didn't need Mellie, he needed her. And honestly Mellie needed the one man that could give her the attention she needed in this moment... Andrew.

Mellie held the phone to her ear, willing Liv to pick up. After two rings, it went to voicemail. That meant Liv saw it was someone in the administration calling and ignored the call. Since when did Liv ignore calls from the White House? Since she found out about Big Gerry, that's when.

Great, the woman does have a moral compass! Why does she have to be so perfect?

For over an hour Mellie continued calling Liv, the panic in her slowly rising. Mellie noticed the glass of scotch already lying in wait and knew where that would lead. Liv was her only hope of keeping Fitz sober through his second term. Time was running out. The monster named scotch needed to be calmed before it claimed Fitz whole. Mellie knew that without Liv, after that first sip, there would be no turning back.

ANSWER THE DAMN PHONE LIV! Time is running out!

Of all of the times to back away, Liv damn sure picked the wrong one. Only Liv could calm the monster that was brewing within Fitz, and she was ignoring their calls. Where the hell was she?! Mellie could almost hear the scotch screaming Fitz's name with every tear he shed. Soon Fitz would enter the anger stage and Mellie knew he would drown his rage in scotch until he reached the point of no return.

Mellie felt tears burning her eyes as she watched her husband, the man who was in love with another woman sit in the middle of the presidential seal, broken.

Where the hell is his glue?! Where the hell are you Liv!?

No sooner than Mellie got the thought out, there was a knock on the door.

"Come in!" Mellie yelled, her voice clearly reflecting her state of grief. Mellie gasped, causing Fitz to look up and lock eyes with none other than... Liv.

Thank God... She's here...

"Livvie..." Fitz cried and although his lips moved, no sound came from them. He was too broken to speak. Liv took in the appearance of the man she loves. He was clearly broken. Liv allowed her eyes to scan the room and she noticed Fitz's scotch glass ready to go.

Liv walked across the floor and froze as she stood over Fitz. Liv looked at Mellie, unsure of what to say. She froze as she turned to look at Fitz. She couldn't, not just yet. The real reason was that Liv knew the last part of her heart would break seeing her broken love up close.

"Thank you for coming Liv." Mellie said with a saddened smile. Liv nodded and offered her condolences once again for the loss of their son. The moment Fitz heard Jerry's name, he began sobbing harder than he had before. Liv's heart sank at the gut wrenching cries that were escaping her love's lips.

"Fitz..." Liv said realizing that he was due to address the nation in less than 20 minutes. There was no answer. Instead Fitz reached out and grabbed Liv's hand. The force of the pull brought Liv to her knees between Fitz's legs. He buried his head in Liv's chest and the screams and cries grew louder. He didn't care that Mellie was in the room. He didn't care that someone may walk in. All that he cared about was the fact that Jerry was no longer there to hug, to play with, to talk to. Jerry was gone and Liv came, Liv was there.

Scotch didn't seem like such a major thing now. Fitz didn't need scotch, he needed Liv.

Fitz loved Mellie, she was the mother of his children after all, but he was no longer in love with her, but the same could be said about Mellie. Their hearts belonged to other people now.

Mellie sat quietly making sure to brush Liv's shoulder every once in a while to acknowledge she was ok with her presence. Fitz had a lot on his plate, and if Liv was what he needed to function, Mellie would allow it. Honestly she didn't have a choice but to.

"It's ok. I'm here." Liv said as she began to softly stroke Fitz's curls. Liv tried to break free as she heard a knock on the door, but Fitz had a grip on her hips so hard she knew she would see bruises later. Liv held Fitz's head against her chest, truly stuck in the moment as she looked up and saw Andrew. No one spoke, instead Andrew walked across the floor and pulled Mellie into his arms. The four of them stayed like that, Liv and Andrew both consoling their broken loves on the presidential seal for hours.

Cyrus had come and gone, and Liv had directed him on what to say to the press about Fitz addressing the nation tomorrow instead of today. The nation would understand, the first couple did after all just lose their eldest child.

Fitz opened his eyes for the first time in hours and realized the oval was dark. The last thing he remembered was crying in Liv's arms. Liv came to his side when he needed her most. Fitz tried to move, but realized Liv was still holding him. They had apparently fallen asleep. Fitz looked to his left and noticed that Mellie was asleep in Andrew's arms. She looked truly at peace with Andrew. Even sleeping, Mellie looked... Happy. Fitz tapped Liv on the shoulder trying to gently wake her.

"Livvie, Livvie wake up. We fell asleep." Fitz said trying to refrain from waking Mellie and Andrew. His attempts failed as he noticed Mellie then Andrew begin to stir. Fitz noticed as Mellie's eyes focused on Andrew first and a small smile graced her face. He wondered if this was what Mellie saw when she would catch him looking at Liv.

Andrew stood to leave, and Fitz stood as well. Fitz could see the darkness return to Mellie's eyes as Andrew separated himself from her. It was the same look he had when Liv did the same thing. But never did Fitz expect to hear Mellie's next words.

"Andrew stay..." Mellie said, causing everyone in the room to focus on her.

"Mellie, I'd love nothing more than to hold you all night, but it isn't a good idea." Andrew replied regrettably.

"No, Andrew, stay. Please? Fitz needs Liv and I... I... I need you." Mellie said, her eyes dark and swollen from crying.

Andrew looked at Fitz for any sign of approval. He had already suffered one black eye at the hands of the president, he didn't need a matching one to grace the other side of his face.

"Stay Andrew. If Mellie needs you to stay, stay." Fitz said offering a weak smile. Fitz turned to Liv and pulled her into his arms. "Livvie will you stay with me tonight? Please. Just to hold one another... I need you."

Liv looked into Fitz's eyes then over to Mellie who offered the same weak smile Fitz had offered to Andrew just moments before. Liv looked at Fitz and used every ounce of strength, and smiled as her hands cupped his face.

"Fine... I'll stay, but only to sleep."

"Only to sleep." Fitz agreed. "Ok, Mr. President, let's get you into bed." Liv said as all four of them left the oval and went their separate ways. Liv and Fitz ventured towards the Blair House tunnel, and Mellie and Andrew made their way towards the Lincoln bedroom. No one would sleep in the residence tonight. It just seemed wrong, but being with the ones they loved? They felt like they were finally standing in the sun. Even if only for tonight. Tomorrow the facade of a strong marriage would return. Tomorrow Mellie and Fitz would once again resume their miserable lives together. But tonight? Tonight they got a glimpse of the sun, and it was beautiful.

Liv and Fitz entered into Blair house and made their way straight for the bedroom. They both began peeling away their clothing and climbed into bed together, Liv in her bra and panties, and Fitz in his boxers. Fitz held Liv tightly as she rested her head on his chest.

"I love you Livvie"

"I love you too Fitz"

Tonight wasn't about sex, it wasn't about anything but being. It was about trying to grab some of the sun while they had a chance. Tonight, Fitz wasn't the president re-elect, and Liv wasn't the campaign manager. They were just Livvie and Fitz, silently professing their love for one another, and it was heaven.

Although nothing could cure the pain of losing a child, Liv's presence managed to ease the heartache to where Fitz thought maybe, just maybe, they could get through this. For once, the scotch monster wasn't screaming his name. He wasn't complete without Jerry, but he could survive with the sun. He could survive with his Livvie by his side. They laid there in silence and listened to one another's breathing until they both drifted off to sleep. _

Hey Everyone, I am not sure if I am going to continue with this or leave as a one shot, but after the way the finale ended I needed to get this out. If I do continue, the updates will be in spurts until I tie up a few stories I already have going. I think it would be kinda of fun to continue through hiatus, theorizing about what is in store for S4, or maybe I'll do a series of one shots on different ways we all think the finale could have ended. If I do continue the rating will of course be changed to M, for reasons. Let me know what you all think and as always, thank you for reading.